Summary of gun law regimes in the U.S.

The right to carry weapons is enshrined in the second amendment to the United States constitution – but the exact meaning of the Founders’ confusing grammar is controversial. Some argue that there shouldn’t be any circumstance where we shouldn’t be allowed to have a weapon with us, while others contend that the “well-regulated militia” that Jefferson referred to meant something closer to a standing army than to a people armed to the teeth.The resulting morass of legislation and litigation has resulted in an array of confusing terms, and a body of law that changes drastically from state to state. Here’s what we mean when we talk about gun laws.Definitions